The Roundtable works to effect positive change on public policy issues that are most important to supporting state economic vitality and fostering opportunity for all Washingtonians. That work includes sharing news and analyzing policy developments affecting our state.

Around The Table: Safeco, Battelle, and Group Health

July 29th, 2016

In ‘Around The Table,’ we highlight member news and share information on industry trends. This week, we spotlight recent news from Safeco, Battelle, and Group Health.

Safeco Announces ‘Make More Happen’ Award Recipients

The Safeco Insurance Make More Happen Award recognizes independent insurance agents across the country who demonstrate extraordinary volunteerism for a nonprofit organization. Safeco recently announced the remaining 34 agency award recipients for 2016, including two in Washington state. “We’re proud to partner with such dedicated agents across the country, and we’re pleased to recognize them for their selfless work,” said Safeco President Matt Nickerson. “It’s an honor to support and encourage those who share our belief in the importance of community.” Safeco will make up to a $5,000 donation to each nonprofit on behalf of the agencies and every week through October. Read more here.

Battelle awards over $300,000 to take STEM education to the next level

Battelle – operator of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory – is boosting a network of STEM education organizations across the Tri-Cities and Washington state, awarding over $300,000 in grants to benefit K-12 schools, higher education institutions, community partnerships, and other non-profit organizations. “Great STEM education starts by planting seeds of passion and curiosity in young minds,” said Jeff Estes, director of the Office of STEM Education at PNNL. “But we don’t stop there. We must see to the growth of these students every step of the way-from elementary school to college.” Read more here.

Group Health Rated Top Performing Plan in America

A performance study by the Washington Health Alliance found the Seattle-based Group Health’s commercial HMO plan is the highest rated in the nation among those health plans participating in eValue8. Group Health Cooperative’s Health Plan Division Executive Vice President Bob O’Brien issued the following statement in response: “The outcome of this independent review of our plan reflects the hard work we do every day to ensure our patients have an excellent experience, that our clinicians offer the very best clinical outcomes for our members, and that we provide high-quality integrated care and coverage at affordable rates.” Read more here.